A deep gorge carved out of the Sierra Morena by the Río Despeñaperros forms a natural gateway between Andalucía and the rest of Spain. Travellers of old feared the gorge on account of its bandits, but the Desfiladero de Despeñaperros is now part of the 7 717-hectare nature reserve, standing at a height of more than 1 000m. The reserve has dense vegetation, varied fauna and magnificent panoramas over chalk cliffs and precipices, all of which may be admired from waymarked trails.